Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-02-24

transmission several times exceeds the
amounts received. There is little doubt
that cent an ounce would be ample
compensation for carrying letters in the
more densely populated portions OF our
country. If so, whatever more is eX-
acted is injustice, is robbery. We do not
say that we would abolish the PostOftice
Department of government, we simply re-
fer to it to show how one of the most
oenefcent, psternal operations OF the
general government works INJUSTICE to
the Individual.
Let us take the practice denounced in
the resolution passed by the horticultural
society. The government takes the
money Of the people to buy seeds for a
portion of the people. We have individ
uals, in every part of the country, en-
gagged in the very laudable business of
raising, buying and importing seeds, put
ting them up in packages, large and
small, and selling them to farmers and
gardeners. Seeds of grain, seeds of veg
etables, seeds of fruits and seeds of
flowers are distributed wherever wanted
by these enterprising seedmen. So far
as government enters into the business
of distributing seeds she becomes 3 COM
Injustice to those citizens who have en-
barked their money, time ard energies in
the business.
We suppose the original intention of
the law providing for seed distribution
was TO Introduce from foreign countries
rare seeds and plants, and place them in
the hands OF those farmers or gardeners
in different localities who would
suits to the department at Washing
ton. II such were the fact, the design
of the law was less Objectionable than its
recent methods of execution. Yet, We
think, there Is no necessity for lustjtica-
ton of the law now. even though 1t should
be restored to its original purpose.
Private enterprise is securing the world
in search of novelties in the floral king
dom, which are distributed everywhere
by the means well understood in COM
merCe.
But We presume that the method OF
executing the law is what is considered
most Objectionable. Not new and rare
seeds are obtained by government and
judiciously placed in the hands
of intelligent, progressive cult!vators,
in all parts of the Union, to test their
value and adaptation to the soil and
climate of the recipients, but old seeds of
old varieties, long cultivated and, many
of them, long rejected are purchased and
through Congressman distributed TO
those whose favor they would gain. Many
of these seeds have lost their vitality and
many have been superseded by better
varieties.
So long as the law remains on the
statute book, really rare and promising
seeds should be purchased, and they
should be distributed by the Department
of Agriculture, either to agricultural
societies, farmers clubs, or to those cor
respondents # the department who fur
nish statements of the condition of crops.
| Or well known representative, progress
sive farmers of different sections should
be invited to SEM the names Of those in
their vicinity who would be likely to
make fsir tests and report results.
SO long as government exercises such
doubtful powers there is no class OF clti-
Zens to whom she could extend aid that
would, indirectly, benefit all to the extent
that aid to the cultivatOrS OF the soil
would. All depend upon them for that
which sustaiDS their lives and furnishes
the energy which enables them to accom-
pish any good in the world. If govern
ment could introduce, from foreign
counties, and disseminate among cult
vators of the soil any product that would
supply the wants of man at less cost than
known species, she would benefit all.